Tamworth Regional Airport PFAS investigations

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is working with Tamworth Regional Council to investigate potential chemical contamination from the Tamworth Regional Airport, as part of the state-wide investgation into per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Over the years, the site has been leased to a range of organisations which may have caused offsite contamination from firefighting training activities. Preliminary investigations indicate that there are elevated levels of PFAS onsite. Further investigations are underway to see if the contamination has migrated offsite and to determine if there are any pathways through which local residents may come into contact with these chemicals.

Why is Tamworth Regional Council investigating PFAS at Tamworth Regional Airport?
Council is conducting contaminated site investigations at Tamworth Regional Airport, where there has been historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foams.

These foams were used in fire-fighting training activities prior to the foams being phased out in the early 2000s. Investigations of contaminated sites are routinely carried out by the polluter. However as a range of organisations have used the site over many years, Tamworth Regional Council, as the site owner, is taking carriage of the investigation.

What is the likely risk?
The presence of PFAS in the environment does not necessarily mean there is a health risk. It is also important to assess if there are pathways through which you might be exposed to PFAS.
The NSW EPA has considered the preliminary results presented and concluded that the risk to human health appears low at this site.